catching a train/bus before your lecture for the day and fancy a read? here's what we recommend!
The 8:47 is yours. Forty-five minutes where nobody can reach you, nobody needs anything, and the to-do list can wait. All you need is the right book.
We asked the Salford SU team what they're reading - and they delivered. From sci-fi to self-help to something that will genuinely make you cry at your stop, here's your SU-approved reading list for the commute.
Finish a chapter before your stop
Short chapters. Easy to pick up, easy to put down. No guilt if you miss a few days.
Born a Crime - Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah's memoir about growing up in apartheid South Africa - as the son of a Black mother and white Swiss father, his very existence was illegal. Each chapter is a self-contained story, so you'll finish a complete piece between stops without losing the thread. It's laugh-out-loud funny in one paragraph and quietly devastating in the next, and it's the kind of book that makes a packed tram feel like your own private reading room.
"High engagement. The mix of comedy and intensity keeps you awake during early mornings, and you can jump back in without losing the plot if you miss a few days."
The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman
Four retirees in a quiet village solving cold cases nobody else can crack. It sounds cosy and it is - but it's also genuinely sharp. The chapters are short, the writing is funny, and it's the first in a series, so if you get through it by week three, you've got the rest of the year sorted.
"Funny, well-written, and the chapters aren't too long. Perfect."
Atomic Habits - James Clear
Non-fiction, but don't let that put you off. It's about how tiny changes compound over time - why you don't need a massive life overhaul, just 1% better each day. The chapters are short enough to finish before your stop, and it's the kind of book you'll actually use. Not a page-turner in the traditional sense, but you'll walk away with habits that stick. Good one for that new-term, new-me energy.
"I started applying bits of it to my own routine straight away. Genuinely useful."
Something to sink into
For when you've got a longer stretch and you want to actually disappear into something.
Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir
A scientist wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of how he got there, tasked with saving Earth from extinction. It's funny in a way you won't expect, it's about courage and doing things you never thought possible, and it features one of the most unlikely friendships in science fiction. Also, if you think your commute is long, he's got you beat.
"About courage, finding friendship in unexpected places, and how to build trust. Funny, not too hard to read, and the film's great too. Also about a really, really long commute!"
The Martian - Andy Weir
An astronaut gets stranded on Mars and has to science his way home. It's funnier than it has any right to be, the audiobook is on Spotify if reading on a moving bus isn't your thing, and it's basically one long story about refusing to give up when every odd is against you. Relevant energy for starting university.
"Overcoming every problem thrown at you despite the odds -- funnier than you'd think for a book about a guy stranded on Mars. Audiobook on Spotify too."
Witchlore - Emma Hinds
Two witches - one of whom is non-binary - navigating a world rooted in northern folklore, with Manchester Cathedral and St Anne's Beach woven into the setting. If you're commuting through the city and want something that feels like it belongs to the same landscape you're passing through, this one's it.
"Inspired by northern folklore and features places right here in Manchester. Feels like home."
One for the long haul
Reflective. Best read when you've got a window seat and nowhere to be in a hurry.
How to Live an Extraordinary Life - Anthony Pimpliano
Written as 65 letters to his children, Pimpliano covers business, relationships, money, health, and what it means to build a life of purpose - drawn from living in a war zone, meeting people from every walk of life, and failing forward. It's the kind of book that makes you stare out the window for a few stops and actually think.
"As a commuter myself, I read books on the train and this one made me reflect deeply. Real life lessons, inspiration, and motivation - and it's honest about failure, which feels right."
Handle with care
Sunrise on the Reaping - Suzanne Collins
The latest Hunger Games prequel and genuinely one of the most gripping things we've read this year. We cannot in good conscience recommend it for public transport without a warning: you will cry. Possibly at your stop. Maybe just before it. Save this one for home - or at minimum, bring sunglasses.
"My most recent read - incredible, but unless students are willing to be in tears on public transport, maybe not the best shout."
What are you reading?
Drop it in the comments below - we're building a running list. And if it's good enough, it might make the next edition. Tag us @SalfordSU if you finish anything from this list. We want to know if we steered you right.